Abstract
INTRODUCTION: Giant hiatal hernia is characterized by the presence of more than 1/3 of the stomach in the chest, through the diaphragmatic hiatus, with or without other intra-abdominal organs. It is a rare pathology, representing the 5-10% of all hiatal hernias. The advent of laparoscopic surgery led to new surgical techniques, which include the simple reduction with the excision of the hernial sac and the execution of a posterior hiatoplasty, with or without mesh, and the execution of a Collis-Nissen gatroplasty in case of short esophagus. PRESENTATION OF CASES: We followed 24 cases of giant hiatal hernia with more than 1/3 stomach located in the chest, analyzing the results reached by the miniinvasive procedure, and the long-term pathophysiologic results of the disease. DISCUSSION: Laparoscopic hiatal hernia repair results in less postoperative pain compared with the open approach. The smaller incisions of minimally-invasive surgery are less likely to be complicated by incisional hernias and wound infection. Postoperative respiratory complications are reduced. CONCLUSION: Results from multiple studies are similar, with shorter hospital stay and less morbidity resulting from the minimally invasive approach.